1930 Roadster Volkster - Cut-Weld-Drive Forums

markh · April 7th, 2013, 07:31 PM

Ok, so let's get started on something new. It's been a while since cutting up anything and with this old rendition out there floating around, I thought, why not.

Where to start? How about a complete running '68 Convertible that needed a little a trim?

Ok, so here was the hard part. Locating some decent '29-32 Ford rear quarter panels and trunk lid to start. Got lucky and found '29-30 steel in not too bad of shape. With a couple bolts and a number of vice clamps, threw them on to see what would happen:

Not quite:

After much debate decided the rear wheels need to move back 3" and the body back 5". That left me to cutting the quarter panels and moving it back until it cleared the motor:

With the wheels moving back with the help of an IRS swap and 3x3 trailing arms, the proportions should be close plus a couple inches of junk in the trunk. Still searching for the new arms, trans, axles and pivot points.

Speaking of the trunk, here's a arse end shot:

This past weekend at the PDX swap meet, found just the parts. Here is a lower panel I had to fabricate out of some random panel that had all the right contours top to bottom and side to side:

Quarter panels:

It will need some alignment and a serious amount if internal skeleton work to mount it to the bug body.

You may find photos out of sequence following the re-post of this entire thread.

markh · April 23rd, 2013, 08:09 PM

While waiting for the parts list for the rear of the car, I quickly tired of the nose bleed in the front. So, yanked the beam, wire brushed a ton of gunk and funk and installed some adjusters.

All is well. Now it's waiting on more parts: new tie-rod ends, lowered ball joints, possibly dropped disc spindles and beam extender. The parts list keeps on growing.

My lovely wife was peering over my shoulder as I was sorting photos and said, "wow, that's ugly!" I had to agree...

The real change in attitude will come with my selected wheel tire combo, the stretch to the front and a ton of modifications including: A chop and rakes windshield, filled front fender wells, filled lower panels to hide the vert rails, shaved door handles, new 1930/32 Ford style dash, bench seat, modified door tops, new Ford bodyline and a few more trick doodads.

Because I exploded my last welder and not yet replaced, I have borrowed Mundo's little 110V to tackle a couple little tack jobs to keep the build moving. Should be a fun weekend if the sun stays out and I can shove the '37 Volkster out of the garage for a few hours.

markh · April 28th, 2013, 07:43 PM

Did a little welding over the weekend for fun. Stitched up the quarter panel gap.

Still have a considerable amount of grinding to do and some tweaking of the bodyline which I learned on the driver side panel.

To make sure both quarters will measure the same; disassembled the rear panels, matched and bolted them together and started cutting, bending and welding.

Moving the quarter panels back, the body line changed angles a touch. ON this side, I made a number of relief cuts along the bodyline to correct the direction.

Not in a hurry to fill in the big gap in the panel because the entire wheel arch move back 3". That will happen later. Next I need to start on the interior structure to give the quarters some attachment points.

Before that, will get to chopping down the windshield 3" and modify the pitch.

markh · May 5th, 2013, 09:56 AM

Took a couple or hours to chop down the windshield 3". Also took out some of the "arch" along the top.

markh · May 19th, 2013, 07:44 PM

Instead of purchasing the repro part, figured I might as well make my own rear cross member, sub rail. How hard could it be right?

Many hours later:

Still needs a little cleanup work and some hammer/dolly but for the most part, it fits and will do exactly what it's intended.

markh · May 27th, 2013, 07:03 PM

Over the weekend, didn't get much done. Cut out the '68 dash to ready it for an "older" '30's something look. Started with some ideas and a template:

Center-mounted speedo.

Transfer over to the doors:

markh · June 15th, 2013, 09:35 PM

So the pan and body have parted ways for a short while. The pan has fallen victim to the cut off disc in more ways than originally panned..(get it? Panned?)
Anyway...
See...I was just going to modify the rear suspension and throw on a beam extender and call it a day. Well...I realized that to stay more true to the Model A, the VW doors are too long and the seat location was too far forward. I believe the Model-A doors are 29-1/4" long. Bugs...much longer by 8"

The rear convertible seat location would have looked good, but the vert B-pillars are a nightmare, SO I split the difference and decided to move EVERYTHING forward of the B-pillars, back 9".

Remove a billion spot welds and slide the front pan half back. Check. Next move the napoleon hat back 9" to include the pedal assembly.

Doing all this meant moving the shifter back. Decided on 12" to shorten the reach. No problem here except moving the e-brake.

Moving the e-brake was a little tricky with the tunnel guide tubes, but it went well. Fully welded and working. Less the need for new e-brake cables...of course.

Now I can use a bench seat. Thank you Mazda B2000.

Had to build new seat track mounts of course.

Just making this up as I go.

markh · July 21st, 2013, 07:56 PM

Over the past month several areas have been getting attention.

Because I want to sit further back, the body needed shortened. So 9" out of the doors, heater channels and vert frame rails.

Cleaned up quarter panels, and got the rear trunk lid mounted.

markh · September 8th, 2013, 07:38 PM

Over the past month, been working on reinforcing the support rails and heater channels after removing 9". Nothing really fun to see, just a bunch of welding and grinding.

With the 3x3 trailing arms extended and the tires moved back, the wheel locations should be close to where I need them.

markh · September 16th, 2013, 03:04 PM

Next up is the shaping of the new dash, finishing the gas tank support, shave off the front drip/rain rail at the front of the doors and then it's time to reunite the two parts.

markh · September 24th, 2013, 07:15 PM

Picked up a 4X8 sheet of 18ga and cut out a lot of needed panels. Those updates are coming. Between the cutting of everything, spent some time shaving the drip rails.

To do this, cut out a couple inch section of the rail. Don't try and cut completely flush as the metal is really thin on the quarter panel. Leave a little "hump" of metal. Start your tacks and then cut out another couple inches. Keep tacking the entire length and then come back and spot weld between spots, rotating sides to avoid warping. Grind patiently. You'll find a few pin holes and they are a pain to fill without burning through.

Anyway, new door tops have been cut, bent and fitted. Had to do a little shrinking to get the contour of the doors, but they will be next up.. Then replicate the Model A bodyline across the new door tops.

markh · October 6th, 2013, 07:16 PM

This is what it looked like without the Model A beltline.

Since it will never be in the rain, the door tops also serve as a cap.

markh · October 8th, 2013, 04:09 PM

The lower rocker panel below the doors are done.

markh · November 17th, 2013, 07:38 PM

It's been a good month and work has been progressing. With the Volkster out of the garage, I now have room to make some serious progress.

Been also working on some fun sheet metal stuff.

markh · November 24th, 2013, 05:06 PM

Got the inner pivot points welded in, the swing plates cut down and cleaned up. .

Dropped the trans and motor in and started bolting it together for another mock up.

Have a few issues to address:
Shock towers needed to go.
The 3X3 trailing arms needed ravel clearance
Trailing arm bolt holes need elongated to fix toe.
The Model A quarter panels needed suspension travel clearance.
The tires are towed in pretty good so a much needed alignment will be required.

But I'm really happy about the camber situation. Almost NONE!

Getting closer

markh · December 1st, 2013, 07:27 PM

It was a long Thanksgiving weekend and worked on the car a little each day...ok, maybe more than a little?

built a new shock tower for the rear.

Welded up:

Installed:

shocks installed in tower:

Anyway the new wheel tire combo. Spider caps!

Went to a half dozen tire shops and found the combo I wanted. Spent two hours sorting through a mountain of steel rims to find these 15X6. Those are 225/75/15 for the rear...just shy of 28" tall. The fronts are 195/75/15. Almost an inch taller than the 165R15 tires that were on the car.

Adjuster, 2-1/2" dropped spindles with disc brakes, lowered ball joints (being pressed tomorrow), camber adjusters, lowered shocks and all new ends.

markh · December 8th, 2013, 04:24 PM

Really not diggin' the '68 hood. so replaced it with an earlier hood.

Much better!

Here is the windshield after the top frame edge was modified.

markh · December 30th, 2013, 10:02 AM

Happy Holidays! Had some time to dedicate to the laundry list of to-do items.

One of the quickest to address was the connecting of the steering. Simply added a super beetle steering rod with the u-joints. Bolted right in with a quick modification. Need to add a support to the steering shaft but I have something in mind.

The carrier pivot mount:

Installed:

markh · January 19th, 2014, 03:59 PM

Lost photos.

markh · January 24th, 2014, 10:59 AM

Photo found right here on VR on a post from 2006 aboutt DuVall windshield

markh · February 8th, 2014, 03:57 PM

Lost photos.

markh · February 8th, 2014, 04:05 PM

I was going to show the process I took to get the dash looking this way, but lost all the photos.

More to go!!

markh · February 10th, 2014, 06:57 AM

Just a quick peek as I'm about to tow it out to the farm for a serious grind session.

markh · February 12th, 2014, 07:14 AM

Missing photos

markh · February 23rd, 2014, 06:22 PM

Finished up the driver side corner of the dash. Just about to do the final install of the center insert. Still need to locate the switches underneath:

Also got the door bodyline shaped and ready to weld in:

Another angle:

Also go the engine compartment panels near done including the re-shaping of the rear breast tin/cooling tin:

Other side:

The other part that I managed to tackle was the top filler deck panel behind the seat. This is a picture with the seat slid all the way forward:

Have more work to do on the top panel and a whole bunch of welding and grinding. To give the top panel some dimension, I will probably work in some round stock on the edges. It will remain pretty flat for the future carson top to sit.

More to come.